From: analda{at}nospam.hiwaay.net (Analda Anglin)

PART ONE: FAQs and Guidelines

***What is a FAQ?

The letters FAQ stand for Frequently Asked Questions.  FAQs are used by
newsgroups to cut down on repeatedly asked questions.  The theory is that
newcomers to the group will read the FAQ before posting and learn answers
to frequent questions as well as some general guidelines that will start
them off on the right foot.

Don't feel bad if you read the FAQ and still have questions.  Everyone in
this newsgroup was new at one time.  If you have a question not covered by
the FAQ, you can email the FAQ administrator at analda{at}hiwaay.net.  If your
question is really good, it might be added to the FAQ!  You can also post
your question to the newsgroup, where somebody will have an answer for you
or we will make our best effort to find one.

This FAQ is written specifically for the alt.fan.monty-python newsgroup.  
Part Three contains answers to some of the most
frequently asked questions in a.f.m-p.  For general Monty Python FAQs,
visit some of the websites listed in Section Two.

***Posting Guidelines

RULE ONE: Please post sensibly and courteously.  This means:

No large files (scripts, images, sounds).    If someone requests a
large file that you can provide, please email the file or furnish
directions to an appropriate web or FTP site.  If you have files you'd like
to share, you can post a list of what you have and invite people to email
you for copies.

Edit long cascades.  Long cascades are posts with multiple follow ups.

Delete the lines you're not using in your reply, such as "so and so
wrote" headers and signature files.

Refrain from HTML posting.  Many newsreaders do not interpret HTML tags
correctly, so HTML posts come across as lines of gibberish.

RULE TWO: When in doubt, email instead of posting.  If you're not sure
whether something will be taken as a joke, it's usually best to restrict
the remarks to email instead of posting them for everyone to see.  Personal
comments, private jokes, and off topic threads are best kept private.

RULE THREE: Please be polite.  Lots of people post here asking for skits,
songs, scripts, and facts.  Be polite, be friendly, and be helpful if you
can.  Don't blow them up because they don't know which web or FTP site to
go to.  We are a friendly, generally amusing, mostly intelligent bunch of
folks.  We really ought to act that way.

Flames are hurtful and unkind and have no place in this newsgroup. Personal
direct insults are right out.  If someone is rude, ignore him/her.  Do not
send any mail to that person, do not flame in return, and do not post about
that person.  In short: DO NOT FEED THE FLAMES.


When you see Spam (articles that are cross posted to newsgroups they have
nothing to do with), do not post follow ups.  That just adds to the problem
and usually creates more cross posts.  Like flames, the best thing to do
when someone posts Spam is to ignore it.

To our occasional posters-Welcome!  Please feel free to ask whatever you
like about this group or Monty Python.  This group is comprised of lots of
highly intelligent, well-informed people who are fountains of knowledge. 
Just about any Python question you have should get an answer from at least
one person here, or at least get a best guess or best effort to find out. 
You may even get a smile or chuckle from our posts while you're here (or if
we're really good, a GUFFAW!).

RULE FOUR:  Please try to keep things on topic.  We understand when things
become silly.  Let's face it--Monty Python was a bunch of very
silly/wacky/loony people.  Still, in a Monty Python newsgroup posts should
be Python-related or Pythonesque.

Direct Python discussions are obviously fine.  Posts about Python
information, such as this FAQ and requests for Python web and FTP sites,
are allowed.  So are posts about the newsgroup and announcements of
upcoming events in the Python and a.f.m-p. communities.

Original humor that has a strong basis in Python is also acceptable. Python
based means things such as parodies on Python bits or original works that
involve Python ideas in a new way.  If you think that other people could
read your creation and say to themselves "Hey! That resembles Monty
Python!" then it should be fine.  Original humor that has absolutely
nothing to do with Python is unfortunately out.  While it is probably
funny, it more likely belongs in rec.humor or email.

For other off topic posts and truly silly discussions, try visiting
alt.fan.monty-python.silliness.

RULE FIVE:  Enjoy yourselves!  Monty Python's Flying Circus is/was a
wonderful phenomenon, and every one of us know that.  We should have fun
but exercise a bit of moderation and control to keep things somewhat on
topic.

RULE SIX:  There is no Rule Six!!!

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